Smoked Paprika Pork Roast

I LOVE this pork recipe. Smells of fall and is even better as left overs. The side pairing for pork roast is endless so let me know what your favorite is!

Enjoy!

Rub:
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp coursley ground pepper
4 tsp chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 (4lb) boneless pork loin roast
Kitchen String

* Sticky Stout Barbecue Sauce-- recipe below*

1. Stir together first 5 ingredients and 2 tsp thyme. Trim pork roast rub paprika mixture over pork. Tie roast with kitchen string at 1 1/2inch intervals, and place in 13x9 baking dish. Chill, uncovered, 24 hours.

2. Light one side of grill, heating to 350 to 400 leave other side unlit. Place pork over lit side and grill covered with lid 8 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer pork to unlit side and grill covered with lid 35 mins or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 145 let stand 10 minutes brush with sticky stout barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with remaining thyme. Serve with remaining sauce and your favorite sides! (maybe grilled corn on the cob to bring back the fair memories!)

You can use store bought barbecue sauce or try this one if you have some time.

Sticky Stout Barbecue Sauce

*You can make this days a head of time, cover and chill then just reheat when ready*

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bottle stout beer
1 cup spicy barbecue sauce
1/4 cup fig preserves (buy this and use it for breakfast as a nice twist to your normal jam)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1. saute onion in hot oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic saute 1 minute gradually stir in beer. Cook 8-10 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Reduce heat to medium

2. Stir in barbeque sauce and next 2 ingredients and cook 4-5 minutes or until thoroughly heated

*my favorite beer to use is Guinness Extra Stout beer and sweet baby rays sweet n spicy barbeque sauce**

Spicy Honey-Lime Grilled Drumsticks

Holding on to the last bit of summer and adding a touch of fall in one delicious dish. I choose drumsticks because they are cheaper and fun for kids too but you of course can do this on breasts or any kind of chicken you wish. You can also make this on the stove top or in the oven if you wish.

Enjoy!

8 chicken drumsticks
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
cooking spray
cilantro and lime wedges (garnish)

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, let stand covered 30 mins (if you don't have the time you can omit the wait)
Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray and place on grill Preheat grill to 350-400 heat. Grill chicken, covered with grill lid 5-10 minutes on each side or until browned.
Reduce grill temp to 250-300, covered with grill lid 20 mins.

This is a good time to make the sauce but remember to reserve 1 cup of the sauce for those who love to dip! Brush chicken with remaining sauce. Cover grill lid for 5 mins or until done. For added flavor you can use the zest of one of limes and put in the sauce as well. This would be good served with au gratin potatoes and a fall salad.

Spicy Honey-Lime Barbecue Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, diced about one cup
1 bottle chili sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp pepper

Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat, add onion and saute 4-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chili sauce next 3 ingredients and 1/3 cup water. bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Stores in the fridge for up to one week.

Roasted Sweets & Greens

Ok, so clearly I am on a sweet potato fix!

This is a PERFECT side to make dinner extra special. I can't wait to hear what you pair it with!!

ENJOY!

1 1/2 to 2lb sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts (you can of course add your favorite instead)
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Sweet Potato Waffles

Well since we had such a nice chilly weekend, I got in the fall spirit and tweeked my Sweet Potato Waffles recipe!

Of course you can make a lot and freeze them for early mornings off to the bus stop or the office! This seems like a lot but it is best to spend some free time one Sunday afternoon/Evening and make a lot to keep in freezer, your tummy will thank you one chilly morning instead of coffee or cereal or worse... NOTHING!

LONG LIVE BREAKFAST!

Enjoy!

2 cups peeled, 1/2inch cubes red-skinned sweet potatoes
1 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp ginger (if you have fresh, this is a great addition to flower grated and peeled)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 ground cloves
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or regular)
6 large egg whites, room temperature
nonstick vegetable oil spray

** A waffle iron ***

Place sweet potatoes in a steamer basket set in a large saucepan of simmering water. Steam potatoes until tender, about 17 minutes. Transfer to a medium bow and mash well. Add milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, butter, and ginger; whisk to blend

Preheat waffle iron. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add potato mixture and whisk to blend. Using an electric Mixer, beat eff white in another large bowl until peaks form. Add 1/3 of the white to potato mixture; fold just to blend. Add remaining whites in 2 batches, folding just to blend between additions.

Coat waffle iron with nonstick spray. working in batches, add batter to waffle iron. Cook until waffles are lightly browned and set.

Serve with fruit, grits, milk or just butter and syrup!

Bacon Ranch Slow Cooked Chicken

Well it has been awhile and I have had a lot of requests for "family friendly fast" meals....

So enjoy!


2 tablespoons bacon bits 
1 teaspoon minced garlic 
1 (1 ounce) package hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
egg noodles, Prepared

Combine the first 5 ingredients.
Pour over chicken in slow cooker
Cook 3-4 hours on high, or until chicken is done
Serve over hot noodles.

Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde

Salsa:


2 large oranges
1/4 cup evoo
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 scallions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves  (this can be omitted if need be)
2 tablespoons tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
S&P

Salmon:


Vegetable oil for grill
2 center cut salmon fillets skinned and about 3 inches square
(obviously you can cook this for as many as you want or as few)
2 tablespoon agave nectar
S&P

Directions:

For the salsa: Peel and trim the ends from each orange. Using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, orange zest, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

For the salmon: Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking. Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment. 

Grilling Sides

Well with my birthday and vacation I slacked a few days on posting so here is two WONDERFUL sides I cooked for bday celebration with my brother, sister in law and BEAUTIFUL new niece, my dad and his hilarious girlfriend! Sorry the pics arent that great, we were all so hungry I didnt have time to place them on plates for a formal pic and totally forgot to take of of the veggies until they were almost gone! Thank goodness for camera phones!

As always, Enjoy!

Cheesy Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 large russet potatoes, each about 3/4 pound each, scrubbed and dried
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 scallion, finely chopped separate the whites from the greens
Freshly grated nutmeg, optional
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I use white cheddar is mo-betta) haha
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive Oil 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Place the potatoes directly on the rack in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Pierce each potato in a couple spots with a fork and continue to bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove potatoes from the oven, and turn the heat down to 375 degrees F.


Hold the potato with an oven-mit or towel, Cut the top of the potatoes to make a canoe-like shape.  Carefully scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Take care to leave enough potato in the skin so the shells stay together. Mash the potato lightly with fork along the butter and sour cream and all but a little of the cheese . Stir in the white part of the scallion, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Season the skins with salt and pepper with the olive oil either with a brush or your hands. Refill the shells with the potato mixture mounding it slightly. I have found it is easier to sometimes put in a ziploc bag and cut the end out rather than possibly taking forever and damaging the skin.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the potato filling. Brush the reserved top with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.



Set the potatoes and lids on a baking sheet, and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.Sprinkle with greens of scallions or chives if you rather.

Lemon Prosciutto Asparagus

Lemon juice (fresh or other)
Olive oil
S&P
dash of sugar to offset the sting of the lemon


You make a basic vinaigrette and toss the asparagus in about half of the mixture making sure it isnt soaked.
Grill the asparagus AND the  prosciutto.
I had never thought of grilling prosciutto before and it was delicious. 

When the asparagus is done you toss it with the remaining vinaigrette, chop the prosciutto and sprinkle that on top.

And let me tell you what YUM-O I got this picture right before all the rest was snagged... sorry for its roughness!